There are all sorts of foods people eat on New Year’s Day to ensure prosperity for the coming year: greens because they look like cash, cornbread because it’s golden, black-eyed peas because they look like pennies (a stretch, I know, but whatever). What if, however, it’s not money you seek in the new year, but curly hair? When my mom was a kid, that’s how those meddling adults in her life got her to eat carrots, which was a lie so blatant that it would make me feel bad for her except that I’m pretty sure that she once told me carrots would make my eyesight better. Years later, I still have straight hair and glasses, but no lie: this carrot soup is delicious and might make a great addition to your New Year’s meal.
This is also perfect if you have a big bag full of carrots on hand, since they’re one of those vegetables that rarely get a starring role. You can adjust the spice to suit your taste, though you shouldn’t add so much that it drowns out the carrots’ own earthy sweetness. And is it just me, or do they not look a little like pennies when you chop them up to roast? Bring on the prosperous new year.
Zesty Roasted Carrot Soup
- About ten carrots (or enough to fill a 9×13 pan when chopped into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Any sort of Indian curry powder, like chaat masala
- 1 lime
- 1 can of reduced fat coconut milk
Spread the carrot pieces in the baking pan along with the onion. Drizzle olive oil on them, sprinkle the spices on top, and toss until the veggies are coated evenly. Roast them in a 400 degree oven until they are tender and beginning to caramelize, about 20-25 minutes.
Remove the carrots from the oven, and spoon them into a food processor along with the juice from the lime and a bit more salt and olive oil. Puree until smooth, adding some of the coconut milk if needed. You can do this part ahead of time and put the carrot mixture in the fridge, or you can transfer it straight to a saucepan, warming it over low heat. Slowly add the rest of the coconut milk and some water until it reaches the consistency you want. Garnish with pumpkin seeds for crunch and some fresh bread.